Toh 195The Noble Great Vehicle Sūtra: Avalokinī

Summary

The Avalokinī Sūtra takes place in the city
of Rājagṛha, where the Buddha teaches on the benefits that result from honoring
the stūpas of awakened beings. The major part of this teaching consists in the
Buddha detailing the many positive rewards obtained by those who worship the
buddhas’ stūpas with offerings, such as flowers, incense, and lamps.

Acknowledgements

Translated by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee under the guidance
of Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche. The translation was produced by Benjamin
Collet-Cassart and Nika Jovic, who also wrote the introduction. Andreas Doctor
compared the draft translation with the original Tibetan and edited the text.
Krešimir Krnic and Wiesiek Mical assisted by comparing the translation to the
Sanskrit verses from the Śikṣāsamuccaya. Khenpo
Tsöndrü Sangpo from Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery and Khenpo Konchok Tamphel
from Vienna University also assisted the translators by resolving several
difficult passages.

Introduction

The Avalokinī Sūtra is a scripture that
belongs to the General Sūtra section of the Kangyur. The meaning of its
title is somewhat elusive. Avalokinī could be a reference to the bodhisattva
Avalokiteśvara, but neither the name Avalokiteśvara nor any reference to
this bodhisattva appears in the text. The sūtra’s central theme is the
excellent rewards resulting from venerating a stūpa containing the relics of
a buddha by faithfully engaging in various acts of worship, such as
circumambulation, presentation of offerings, or acts of maintenance.

The benefits of building stūpas and of honoring them are mentioned
in numerous passages in the sūtras and vinaya texts, but this is one of only
a small number in which this theme is the principal one. The venerating of stūpas is an important practice
in all traditions of Buddhism, and must have started shortly after the
Buddha’s parinirvāṇa with the honoring of the memorials containing his
relics that were erected at the time. The Buddha’s
relics were regarded as the living presence of the Buddha and functioned as
a tangible symbol of the awakened state. As such, the stūpas
that enshrined them represented both a site of his authority and a source of
blessings, which encouraged the Buddha’s followers to engage in stūpa
worship for spiritual benefit as well as mundane success.

The major part of the Avalokinī
consists of verses describing the immeasurable merit generated by a devotee
who worships the thus-gone ones, either while they are alive or through
their relics after they have passed away. In particular, the sūtra presents
a series of mundane and supramundane rewards gained through various acts of
stūpa worship. The worldly boons that manifest from making specific kinds of
offerings to the stūpa of a thus-gone one are presented in great detail.
Concerning long-term spiritual rewards, the devotee will progress steadily
on the Dharma path and eventually reach the state of awakening, without any
unnecessary detours in saṃsāra. An important act of worship mentioned in the
sūtra is the upholding of the Dharma at a time when it is endangered. Those
who uphold the Dharma of the buddhas and worship their stūpas after they
have passed into nirvāṇa are promised happiness and fortunate rebirths. At
the end of the sūtra, the Buddha encourages devotees who have learned of
these benefits to take up the practice of stūpa worship, so that they may
also quickly awaken to the state of buddhahood.

Many verses from the Avalokinī are
preserved in Sanskrit. Most significantly, Śāntideva’s Śikṣāsamuccaya includes eighty-five verses
matching those of the Avalokinī. In producing this translation, we compared
these Sanskrit verses to the Tibetan text. The Sanskrit verses quoted in the
Śikṣāsamuccaya generally correspond to
the Tibetan Avalokinī, although there are
many minor variations between the two texts. Most importantly, in the Śikṣāsamuccaya they do not appear in the
sequence in which they are found in the Avalokinī’s 275 verses. As such, it appears unlikely that the
verses in the Śikṣāsamuccaya represent the
direct Sanskrit source from which the Tibetan Avalokinī was translated, although, clearly, the two texts are
closely related.

Moreover, significant similarities with the Avalokinī are also found in the Mahāvastu, a Vinaya work belonging to the Lokottaravādin school
of the Mahāsāṃghikas, which contains a section on stūpa worship in 232
verses. More than half of these verses correspond to some degree to verses
found in the Avalokinī: 130 verses are
almost identical to those in the Avalokinī,
while another 40 only partially match the Tibetan (typically one or two
lines in a verse). The remaining verses in this section of the Mahāvastu do not correspond to the Avalokinī at all.
Hence, due to the complex differences between the Avalokinī and the relevant section of the Mahāvastu, we did not systematically compare
the two for this translation.

The precise historical relationship between the Avalokinī and our two Sanskrit sources remains
unresolved. Even the title differs slightly in the various sources. In the
Śikṣāsamuccaya the title is Avalokana, whereas the Mahāvastu has Avalokita. Among the Tibetan witnesses, Degé and Lhasa read
Avalokinī, while Narthang, Shelkar, and
Stok read Avalokini. Apart from the
surviving portions of the Sanskrit original, the Avalokinī exists only in Tibetan, as the text was never
translated into Chinese. For this translation, five editions of the sūtra
contained in the different Kangyurs were considered. The colophon of the
Tibetan text mentions that it was translated by the Indian scholars
Jinamitra and Dānaśīla, along with the chief editor-translator Yeshé Dé,
which places the sūtra temporally in the early ninth-century when the
majority of the Tibetan sūtra translations were produced. That dating is
also attested by the text’s inclusion in the early 9th century Denkarma
(ldan dkar ma) catalog.

The Translation

The Noble Great Vehicle Sūtra:

Avalokinī

Homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas!

Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was residing in
Rājagṛha at Vulture Peak Mountain, together with a great saṅgha of monks and
a great many bodhisattva great beings.

At that time, the Blessed One said to the bodhisattva Pure Intellect,
“Pure Intellect, the thus-gone ones are pure because their discipline is
pure. Pure Intellect, the thus-gone ones are pure because their absorption,
patience, and beneficence are pure. Pure Intellect, the thus-gone ones are
pure because their love is pure. Pure Intellect, the thus-gone ones are pure
because their compassion is pure. Pure Intellect, the thus-gone ones are
pure because their joy and equanimity are pure. Pure Intellect, the
thus-gone ones are pure because their liberation and their liberated wisdom
are pure. Pure Intellect, the thus-gone ones are pure because their powers
are pure. Pure Intellect, the thus-gone ones are pure because their
fearlessness, buddha qualities, and omniscient wisdom are pure.

“Pure Intellect, this being so, the size of the mass of merit
generated by someone who honors the pure thus-gone ones with flowers,
garlands, perfumes, parasols, banners, flags, music, and ointments cannot be
fathomed. Except for the final passing into nirvāṇa through any of the three
vehicles, this heap of merit can never be depleted, even in the future. Why
is that so? Pure Intellect, just as the thus-gone ones are immeasurable in
terms of all their buddha qualities, the offerings made to the thus-gone
ones are immeasurable, endless, inconceivable, incomparable,
unfathomable, incalculable, boundless, and inexpressible.

“Pure Intellect, consider someone who honors, respects, venerates,
worships, and reveres the thus-gone ones who live, thrive, and are well
today. Then, consider someone who, in the future, during the final
five-hundred-year period, honors, respects, venerates, worships, reveres,
and holds dear a relic belonging to a thus-gone one who has passed into
parinirvāṇa, even if it is as small as a mustard seed. Giving rise to the
mind set on awakening, that person will pay homage to, prostrate to, honor,
respect, venerate, worship, revere, supplicate, praise, and circumambulate
this relic. Both of these persons will gain five benefits. What are these
five benefits? They will be endowed with (1) mindfulness, (2) understanding,
and (3) self-respect and propriety; (4) they will quickly meet a blessed
buddha; and (5) faith will be born in them upon seeing that buddha. These
are the five benefits that they will gain.

“Those persons will also possess four other qualities. What are
these four qualities? (1) They will uphold the teachings of the thus-gone
ones, (2) they will practice in accordance with these teachings, (3) they
will come near to the blessed buddhas after having practiced in that way,
and (4) they will swiftly be born in a pure buddhafield. These are the four
qualities.

“Pure Intellect, if a bodhisattva fulfills four criteria, he or she
will not be oppressed by Māra or any divine sons of Māra’s
family.
What are these four criteria? (1) Being born in a high and noble family, (2)
directing one’s mind toward the blessed buddhas as soon as one is born, (3)
upholding the sacred Dharma in later stages of life, and (4) always being
blessed by the thus-gone ones, the worthy ones, the perfect buddhas.
Pure Intellect, if a bodhisattva fulfills these four criteria, they will not
be oppressed by Māra or any divine sons of Māra’s family.”

At that moment, the Blessed One uttered these verses:

“Whoever arouses the mind set on awakening,

For the benefit of all beings,

And circumambulates the stūpa

Of a protector of the world,

“Will, throughout all his lives,

Be mindful, intelligent,

Meritorious, and fearless

While engaging in bodhisattva conduct.

“If someone circumambulates a stūpa,

He will, throughout all his lives,

Be worshiped by the gods,

The nāgas, the yakṣas, and the rākṣasas.

“He will be free from the eight unfree states

That I have described,

And will enjoy a unique freedom—

The excellent circumstance of a buddha’s coming.

“With a beautiful complexion and an attractive appearance,

Elegantly adorned with the marks,

He will be strong and powerful,

And will not fall under the influence of laziness.

“He will be wealthy, prosperous,

Meritorious, and invincible.

He will please the lights of the world,

And honor them again and again.

“Upon hearing the doctrines of selflessness and emptiness,

He will not be deluded about the Dharma,

But will swiftly develop faith,

And correctly master the Dharma’s meaning.

“Born into prosperous

And wealthy merchant households,

He will be a heroic benefactor,

Generous and free from greed.

“Anywhere in the world,

This upstanding person will always be born

In distinguished and noble families,

Having escaped inferior circumstances.

“If someone circumambulates a stūpa,

He will, throughout all his lives,

Be reborn as an influential, renowned,

Illustrious, and splendid householder.

“He will become a great Brahmin householder,

Who is disciplined and learned.

He will become a great Kṣatriya householder,

Who is wealthy and affluent.

“He will become a righteous king,

A sovereign of the four continents,

Who rules the entire land according to his wishes,

As far as the ocean and the surrounding mountains.

“He will become a universal monarch possessing miraculous powers

And the seven precious things.

Ruling over his kingdom,

He will honor the buddhas again and again.

“After he dies and transfers, he will proceed to the higher realms,

Where he will have faith in the Buddha’s teachings.

He will become Śakra, lord of the gods,

Ruling from the summit of Mount Meru.

“He will become the lord of the gods of the Heaven Free from Strife,

The lord of the gods of the Heaven of Joy,

And the lord of the gods of the Heaven of Delighting in Emanations.

He will be a fearless ruler.

“By circumambulating a stūpa,

He will become the wise lord Brahmā,

Who is worshiped by ten million gods

In the Brahmā world.

“Ten million eons would not suffice

To proclaim the praises

Of a person who circumambulates

The stūpa of a protector of the world.

“Whoever prostrates to the stūpa of a teacher,

After having given rise to the mind set on awakening,

Will never, in ten million eons,

Become blind or crippled.

“Someone who circumambulates

The stūpa of a protector of the world

Will obtain flawless eyes,

That are as beautifully dark as bees.

“If someone circumambulates a stūpa,

He is certain to always

Encounter everything that is conducive,

And to always discard what is not conducive.

“If someone circumambulates a stūpa,

He will be strong and powerful.

Without falling under the influence of laziness,

He will always be conscientious.

“If someone circumambulates a stūpa,

He will be resolutely diligent, strong,

Staunch, and grounded.

Such a person will swiftly become learned.

“Fire, poison, and weapons

Will never cause his demise.

This wise one will only die

When his lifespan is exhausted.

“If someone circumambulates a stūpa,

He will enjoy palaces, retinues,

Lands, and towns,

And be distinguished by his physical appearance.

“As he engages in bodhisattva conduct,

He will not follow his desires,

But will maintain the cleanliness of his body and clothes,

And observe the pure Dharma.

“Pure Intellect, upon seeing the stūpa of a thus-gone one, a
follower of the bodhisattva vehicle may develop faith and, kneeling on both
knees, pay homage and prostrate to it. Moreover, he may arouse devotion,
thinking, ‘May my body become just like the bodies of the thus-gone ones,
which are adorned with the thirty-two marks of a great being!’ Pure
Intellect, in that case, the size of that heap of merit will be
indescribable, because it is based on unsurpassed and perfect awakening.
That heap of merit cannot be exhausted by becoming a king, Śakra, Brahmā, a
solitary buddha, or even a practitioner of the unsurpassed vehicle of the
perfect buddhas. Why is that so? Because, Pure Intellect, such a noble son
is in possession of an inconceivable heap of merit. Pure Intellect, consider
the Thus-Gone One who has awakened to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood.
Whenever he is entering a city, a monastery, or a village, and whether he is
walking, standing, sitting, or teaching the Dharma, all beings without
exception in this great trichiliocosm—gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas,
asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, and nonhumans—will bow,
salute, and prostrate in his direction. Even the trees, mountains, mines,
caves, and rock shelters will do so. Just as they all behave toward the
Thus-Gone One, who is endowed with all roots of virtue, so sentient beings
will also bow, salute, and prostrate to such noble sons as they wander in
villages, cities, towns, lands, or capitals.”

At that moment, the Blessed One uttered these verses:

“When someone kneels before the stūpa of a buddha,

Forms the wish to be like the buddhas in the world,

And is firmly intent on awakening,

The three worlds will bow to him, wherever he goes.

“Wherever that self-arisen chief of humans goes,

All the grass, trees, branches,

Herbs, leaves, fruits, flower petals,

And fragrant flowers will bow in that direction.

“All the rulers of humans will bow down

To the person who kneels before the stūpas of the blessed ones.

The lord of the yakṣas, the king of the nāgas, the king of the gods,

And the lord Brahmā will all bow at his feet.

“If someone kneels and prostrates before the stūpas of the blessed
ones,

He will become a heroic and powerful universal monarch,

Adorned with a golden complexion and wearing the armor of the marks.

His great might will be respected and hard to overcome.

“All the sentient beings residing in his lands

Will be kind and joyful,

And no one will commit any evil deed toward him.

Those great assemblies of beings will be joyful and charming.

“A world ruler will salute

Someone who kneels and pays homage to the stūpas of the blessed ones.

The gods, nāgas, humans, and mahoragas will bow down to him,

And he will find relief for limitless eons.

“When the sublime victorious ones appear,

The person who kneels and pays homage to the stūpas of the blessed
ones

Will come in close contact with these thus-gone ones,

And will worship countless such great leaders.

“When myriads of eons have passed,

The person who kneels and pays homage to the stūpas of the blessed
ones,

With the wish to become a buddha in the world,

Will swiftly reach the unequalled state of awakening.

“Compared to someone who honors myriads of buddhas

For countless millions of eons,

Someone who, in the terrible future age of this eon,

Pays homage to a stūpa will accrue much more merit.

“The sublime buddhas are unequalled objects of generosity,

Who reached unique attainments by engaging in sacred conduct.

If someone worships these foremost of humans,

He will develop an unequalled, sublime nature when these actions
ripen.

“Whoever makes flower garlands

And offers them to stūpas,

While directing his mind toward awakening,

Will never become destitute.

“After his death, upon leaving the human realm,

He will be reborn in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three,

Where he will receive a palace

Made of all kinds of precious gems.

“If someone offers a garland to a stūpa,

He will enjoy the pleasures of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three,

Where he will live in divine mansions and pavilions,

Attended by celestial maidens.

“He will enjoy divine pools

Made of beryl and crystal,

Filled with water having the eight qualities,

And spread with golden sand.

“After enjoying his time among the gods,

When his lifespan is exhausted,

This wise man will depart from the gods’ realm,

And be reborn as a prosperous man.

“Through those roots of virtue,

This wise man will act conscientiously.

He will please the thus-gone ones,

And worship these supreme ones among humans.

“Whoever offers a garland to a stūpa

Will never be carried away

By desire or anger,

Nor will he become deluded.

“Whoever worships the supreme ones among humans

Will, throughout all his lives,

Keep his senses under control,

And be free from attachment, aversion, and craving.

“Whoever offers a garland to a stūpa

Will always be respected,

For lives numbered in

The billions and trillions.

“Whoever offers a garland to a stūpa

Will become a universal monarch,

Śakra, lord of the gods,

And Brahmā, ruling over the Brahmā world.

“Having offered silken brocades

To the protectors and refuges of the world,

All his divine and human goals

Will be accomplished.

“He will never again be reborn

In inferior families.

He will be rich and prosperous,

And will become a powerful lord of the world.

“If someone worships the thus-gone ones,

He will have a perfect physical appearance,

His goals will be accomplished, and he will possess

Enjoyments, good looks, wealth, and fame.

“Throughout all his lives, he will be mindful,

And will never be carried away by attachment.

Understanding the shortcomings of lust,

He will engage in pure conduct.

“Whoever worships the thus-gone ones

Will not be affected

By forms, sounds, or tastes,

And will not engage in negative actions.

“Whoever worships the guides

Will never be short of perfumes and flowers,

And will be endowed

With mindfulness and insight.

“Whoever worships the thus-gone ones

Will never have his wealth touched

By kings, thieves,

Fire, or water.

“Whoever offers silken brocades

To the stūpa of a protector of the world

Will never encounter drought,

Sorrow, or sickness.

“Whoever worships the lights of the world

Will, throughout all his lives,

Be free from sorrow and harm,

And will become a wealthy universal monarch.

“Whoever worships the guides

Will have flexible legs and arms;

He will have flawless limbs,

Good looks, and a beautiful appearance.

“Having abandoned negative actions,

He will engage in bodhisattva conduct,

And will meet the supreme ones among humans,

Who are so rare to find in the world.

“For billions and trillions of eons,

He will worship,

Be happy and wise,

And awaken to sublime buddhahood.

“Whoever builds a house with garlands

For the protectors and refuges of the world

Will become a wealthy king,

Never separated from his servants and attendants.

“He will abandon the negative actions

That have been abandoned by the noble ones,

And rely on the virtuous actions

Prescribed by the perfect buddhas.

“He will be loved, cherished,

Honored, and praised

By the gods, nāgas,

And wise ones in the world.

“Wherever this steadfast one is born,

The brilliance of his merit will be resplendent.

His land, city,

And family will all honor him.

“Whoever worships the unassailable buddhas,

The supreme ones among humans,

Will be strong and powerful,

And will enjoy a great retinue of servants.

“Whoever builds a monastery with garlands

And dedicates it to awakening

Will obtain thereby the riches

Praised by the buddhas.

“He will not be crippled or blind,

Or inferior or base.

Wherever that person is born,

His body will be adorned with the marks.

“Upon seeing destitute beings,

He will attract them with his wealth.

He will be affluent

And engage in bodhisattva conduct.

“Through his great intelligence,

He will never adopt an inferior attitude

Nor will he become destitute,

Even after giving away the entire earth.

“Whoever has entered the path of awakening

Will not be saddened

By giving away his sons or daughters,

Or his virtuous and noble wife.

“He will walk in front of others,

And delight those who lack guidance.

But he will never be harmed

By envy or pride.

“Whoever has entered the path of awakening

Will be free from envy and gentle.

He will perfect patience,

Be helpful, and possess excellent qualities.

“Those who have entered the path of awakening

Are the most precious beings in the world.

Such beings, who only rarely appear,

Are faultless objects of generosity.

“The particles of earth

Could gradually be counted and assessed,

But the extent of such beings’ qualities

Cannot be expressed in words.

“The minds of all sentient beings

In the three times could be known.

But the extent of such beings’ qualities

Cannot be expressed in words.

“The four great oceans

Could eventually be depleted

With a billionth part of a strand of hair,

But such beings’ qualities can never be depleted.

“One could count all the smallest particles of dust

Created by grinding the entire earth into powder,

But the extent of the qualities

Of these children of the buddhas cannot be expressed.

“It is possible for all the raging rivers

To reverse course and flow upstream,

But it is not possible to express the extent

Of the qualities of these children of the buddhas.

“All the former bodies

Of all the sentient beings who have ever lived

Could be counted and assessed,

But there is no end to the qualities of these beings.

“Even all the hairs that ever grew

On all their former bodies

Could be counted and assessed,

But there is no end to the qualities of these beings.

“The hairs of all sentient beings who

Circle in the five classes of beings

Could be counted and assessed,

But there is no end to the qualities of these beings.

“All the particles of earth

Present in the oceans

Could also be counted and assessed,

But the qualities of these beings cannot be expressed.

“Starting from the time of Dīpaṃkara,

And for all the subsequent eons,

One could know exhaustively

All the fruits and flowers

“Present on all the trees

That will ever grow.

Yet the extent of the qualities

Of these children of the buddhas cannot be expressed.

“They cannot be expressed,

Even if a diligent person were

To sing them pleasing songs of praise

For billions or trillions of eons.

“Whoever displeases

These children of the buddhas

Will depart the divine and human abodes,

And find themselves in the realms of hell.

“Whoever harms

These bodhisattvas

Will be born blind or without eyes,

And will find no supportive friends when he suffers.

“After dying, he will go to the Hell of Ceaseless Torment,

Where he will be burned and terrified.

He will also experience suffering

When his body grows in size.

“Throughout his lives,

His body, which will remain a league in size,

And be round like a curd ball,

Will be eaten from all sides.

“At that time, his body will have

Five thousand heads,

And each of these heads

Will have five hundred tongues.

“Each of these tongues will be plowed

By hundreds of plowshares.

Due to the ripening of his evil actions,

His tongues will be slashed in unbearable ways.

“After he dies and transfers from the Hell of Ceaseless Torment,

This evil-minded person will then experience

The Hot and Fiercely Hot hells,

As a result of his previous wrongdoings.

“It is not rare for an unrestrained person

Who harms bodhisattvas

To be reborn in the animal realm,

Or in the hell realms.

“For billions and

Trillions of lives,

Such people experience suffering,

And never encounter anything good.

“Whoever harms the children of the buddhas,

Who are the protectors,

Will be reborn as a water serpent—

Vicious and poisonous.

“Tormented by hunger and thirst,

He will engage in evil deeds.

Deprived of food,

He will never feel satiated.

“After he dies and transmigrates, he will be continuously crushed

And beaten in the world of the Lord of Death.

Because he has harmed monks,

He will never find any opportunity.

“Then, after he dies and transmigrates,

If he obtains a human body,

This evil-minded person will be blind,

Malicious, and unrestrained.

“Because he has deprecated the noble ones

Using abusive words,

After he dies, upon leaving the human realm,

He will swiftly be reborn in the lower realms.

“An unrestrained person

Who harms bodhisattvas

Will not meet any buddha

For billions of eons.

“Whoever protects the children of the perfect buddhas,

In accordance with the Dharma,

Will abandon all of the lower realms

And swiftly proceed to the higher realms.

“He will be wealthy, prosperous,

Powerful, fearless,

Mindful, wise,

Happy, and endowed with self-respect and propriety.

“Upon seeing the stūpa of a buddha,

Where a lamp of the worlds

Has passed into parinirvāṇa,

He will honor it again and again.

“When hearing a Dharma discourse such as this

Spoken by the perfect buddhas,

Who would not develop faith

In the children of the buddhas?

“One may venerate

Myriads of buddhas

For as many eons as there are grains of sand

In the Ganges river.

“Yet, upholding the sacred Dharma, day and night,

As it was revealed by the protectors of the world,

When it is about to disappear,

Will accumulate much more merit.

“Whoever upholds the Dharma

When it is about to disappear

Will be worshiping me and all past buddhas,

Who abide in awakened wisdom.

“Whoever protects the doctrine of the Teacher

When the sacred Dharma is about to disappear

Will never be troubled

For billions of eons.

“Such a person will find physical well-being

And will never be struck by illness.

Nor will he be thwarted

By unpleasant circumstances.

“Whoever protects the doctrine of the Teacher

Will have perfect patience.

He will be gentle, wise, and mild,

And will be affectionate toward sentient beings.

“Upholding the Dharma of the supreme Victor in a time of decline,

One will be happy and joyful, and one’s fortune will increase.

One will reap the fruits of previous acts of veneration,

And will abandon the eight unfree states entirely.

“Upholding the Dharma of the supreme Victor in a time of decline,

One will, just like the sky filled with stars,

Always be adorned with the armor of the marks,

And always speak pleasantly in a delightful voice.

“Upholding the Dharma of the supreme Victor in a time of decline,

One will abandon birth in lowly castes

Bereft of pleasure and filled with misery.

Instead, one will be rich, happy, and fortunate.

“Upholding the Dharma of the supreme Victor in a time of decline,

One will be powerful, strong, and diligent.

One will always move among the superior,

Venerating hundreds of thousands of buddhas.

“Upholding the Dharma of the supreme Victor in a time of decline,

One will be born with a supremely attractive physical appearance.

One will be wise and supremely venerated in the human world,

Praised by kings, the learned, and the wise.

“Upholding the Dharma of the supreme Victor in a time of decline,

One will obtain a supremely beautiful and attractive appearance,

And one will please and delight men, women, and gods.

One will be praised by the wise and endowed with insight.

“The person who is present before the Teacher—

The god of gods, endowed with the ten powers—

As he expounds this sūtra

Will, in the future, receive sūtras such as this directly.

“Please listen as I now describe all the unique qualities

That result from depicting the Teacher, the supreme human being,

By painting his image on a cloth or the surface of a wall,

Or by producing golden statues.

“A person who engages in such practices will not be born blind,

Crooked, or with abnormal limbs.

Blessed with an attractive appearance and good
looks,

He will possess the armor of the thirty-two marks.

“He will be born with a perfect and preeminent body;

He will be self-confident and speak with a pleasant voice.

He will be attentive and will become the leader of the entire world.

Upon seeing him, others will be happy and joyful.

“He will not commit any evil, and his mind will be free from anger.

He will be honest and will neither steal nor quarrel with the king.

He will be renowned for his strength and power.

He will be loving and have a superior mind.

“Whoever creates a beautiful image of the Guide

Will be supreme and fit to be worshiped by many beings.

He will be intelligent, wealthy, prosperous,

And will become a powerful king, a universal monarch.

“Whoever creates a beautiful image of the Guide

Will obtain the power of the mighty lord of gods.

He will become Śakra, ruling on the summit of Mount Meru.

This lord will display his dominion on that summit.

“Mindful and intelligent,

His understanding, dedication, and insight will be complete,

And he will find relief in all the worlds.

This being will be endowed with wisdom and will abandon the hells.

“Whoever worships the peerless quintessential being

Will not be reborn as an animal or in the domain of the Lord of
Death.

Abandoning the three lower realms,

He will know that he shall not take birth in them again.

“Whoever creates a beautiful image of the Guide

Will become a god, the powerful Īśvara himself.

He will worship the buddhas with a mind of superior joy,

And will have faith in the teachings of the supreme victorious ones.

“He will become Brahmā, ruling over the Brahmā world,

Where he will enjoy the most exquisite celestial palaces,

Which are delightful, sweet-scented,

And shining with gold from the Jambū river.

“He will attain the level of the peerless quintessential being,

A captain endowed with the ten powers.

His infinite radiance will shine throughout all the worlds,

Like a thousand gold pieces or beryl gemstones.

“Whoever picks flowers with a joyful mind

And faithfully showers them on a protector of the world

Will be meritorious in the human world,

Where, residing in his kingdom, he will venerate the supreme victors.

“Even someone who is miserable, skinny, rigid, and smelly

Will come to possess a healthy and unmatched body.

Then, fit to be regarded by many beings, he will abandon desire—

The fundamental enemy that leads to the hells.

“In practicing the conduct, he will know

That desire is loathesome, like a pit of vomit.

Then, with a joyful mind he will always engage

In the most superior and virtuous pure conduct.

“For infinite eons, the sweet fragrance of beautiful lotus flowers

Will waft from his mouth.

His body will have the color of gold

And carry the fragrance of sandalwood.

“While practicing the conduct, he will not be harmed

By wrath, rage, impurity, faults, or ignorance.

With a superior mind, he will find relief

And become a conscientious king of the gods.

“When victorious ones pass into nirvāṇa,

He will respectfully uphold their Dharma.

With a superior and joyful mind, he will be generous,

And will worship the relics of those blessed ones who have passed into
nirvāṇa.

“When the doctrine of the supreme victor is about to disappear,

He will joyfully uphold the Teacher’s religious precepts.

By engaging in the deeds of the supreme Dharma,

He will never face death through harmful factors.

“If all beings became buddhas,

Free from afflictions, golden, and with the ten powers,

They would be able to express worshipful praise

To that supreme victor for billions and trillions of eons.

“He will abandon evil deeds in all the worlds,

And engage in supreme actions with a joyful mind.

Having worked properly and with great strength for the benefit of
beings,

He will become a powerful and perfect buddha in the world.

“I will now expound the benefits that result

From sprinkling the stūpas of the blessed ones with perfume,

Even as little as a drop the size of a mustard seed;

So listen sincerely and abandon your stains and defilements!

“Such a person will be meritorious and move about in all directions;

He will be healthy, steadfast in mind, and conscientious.

While practicing the conduct, he will subdue misery,

And he will cause many beings to become happy and pleased.

“He will become a king who honors the supreme victors.

He will become a powerful and highly learned universal monarch,

Endowed with a golden complexion and wearing the armor of the marks,

And his fragrance will be pleasing in all the worlds.

“His mind will be free from unhappiness and suffering.

While practicing the conduct, his enjoyments will not decrease.

He will be rich and prosperous, and his fortune will grow.

Free from misery, he will move about in all the worlds.

“Many beings will approach him and request,

‘Please expound the extraordinary Dharma teachings

Of the supreme victors and clear away our doubts!’

Hearing the Dharma, they will be pleased and pass it on.

“Not committing any evil deeds, he will be open-minded.

He will delight in and become learned concerning

The extraordinary, sublime Dharma taught by the victors.

His vision will be purified, and he will clear away the darkness of
ignorance.

“He will have only minimal attachment and aversion;

In the human world, his ignorance will not be great.

He will practice the supreme pure conduct,

And accomplish the benefit of beings in ways that cannot be fathomed.

“Whoever burns incense at the stūpas of the blessed ones

Will be free from all malice.

His enjoyments will never decrease,

And he will be estimable and affluent.

“After his mind has been purified for billions and trillions of eons,

And has become free from evil, peaceful, calm, and gentle,

He will obtain unequalled awakening

Through his superior attitude.

“After establishing billions and trillions, an infinite number of
beings,

In the supreme state of happiness and peace free from misery,

And after turning the unequalled wheel in all the worlds,

He will purify the afflictions and pass into nirvāṇa.

“Whoever worships the stūpas of the blessed ones

By offering fabrics with a joyful mind

Will always receive countless billions and

Trillions of beautiful fabrics.

“Whoever drapes the stūpa of a blessed one with fabric

Will, as soon as he is born, receive the best fabrics,

The most excellent and extraordinary divine silks and fabrics,

And from birth will have a healthy body.

“Whoever offers fabric to the stūpas of the blessed ones—

The unequalled leaders—

Will, in this life, obtain an unequalled body

Adorned with the flowers of the thirty-two marks.

“Whoever drapes the stūpa of a blessed one in fabric

Will, for countless eons, find in his hands

Beautiful and variegated pearl garlands,

As well as flower garlands and gorgeous golden threads.

“Whoever drapes the stūpa of a blessed one in fabric

Will not be distrusted by anyone,

Whether gods, nāgas, humans, or mahoragas,

And he will always engage in the supreme pure conduct.

“Whoever drapes the stūpa of a blessed one in fabric

Will outshine the entire trichiliocosm,

Just like the gold of the Jambū river outshines all other types of
gold.

He will benefit beings in ways that cannot be fathomed.

“The splendor created by filling the entire trichiliocosm

With the seven supremely precious substances could be depleted.

But that of offering a single piece of fabric

To the stūpa of a victor could not.

“The splendor created by filling billions and trillions of universes

With precious jewels that resemble moonlight could be depleted.

But that of offering a single piece of fabric

To the stūpa of a victor could not.

“Whoever offers banners to the stūpa of a blessed one,

While aspiring to become a buddha in the world,

Will be worthy of the worship of many beings,

And will engage in the supreme awakened conduct—sublime and peaceful.

“Whoever offers banners to the stūpa of a blessed one

Will obtain a perfect and supreme body,

Which is pure like gold.

He will be praised, worshiped, and respected by the gods.

“His body will have a golden complexion.

He will obtain the finest cotton fabrics and cloaks,

Dukūla garments, silken
clothing,

And exquisite fabrics.

“In the world, he will always be born

Into the best, most eminent families

As a rich, great, and affluent lord.

He will abandon birth in inferior or destitute families.

“No sentient being will be jealous

Or give rise to malice toward him.

Condemning the evil actions of others,

He will always be conscientious and perfectly disciplined.

“He will be devoid of grasping and stinginess.

Practicing generosity, he will gain freedom from misery,

But he will not give to others merely to save his own life.

Free from poverty, he will always be conscientious.

“Upon meeting a captain, a buddha endowed with the ten powers,

He will joyfully worship that blessed one

By offering parasols, banners, and lamps.

He will always engage in the supreme awakened conduct.

“He will be respected and venerated in the human world,

And will become a lord of the gods and a chief of humans,

Pleasingly perfumed and handsome, beautiful to behold,

Possessing various gems such as crystal.

“On the summit of Mount Meru, he will become resplendent among the
gods,

Who will all become his disciples and bow down to him.

He will please their minds through the Dharma,

And they will develop supreme and unwavering faith in him.

“Then, after he dies, he will become an eminent king—

A powerful universal monarch in the human world.

No one will commit evil deeds toward him,

And he will please and delight many beings.

“Whoever offers a victory banner to a supreme, stainless being

Will, before long, become very rich.

Possessing a great treasure of infinite insight,

He will neither be mentally weak nor adopt inferior attitudes.

“Acquiring enjoyments, he will share and enjoy them.

He will be fearless and free from distress.

As a king, he will joyfully share his possessions throughout his villages
and land,

And no sentient being will commit evil deeds toward him.

“He will become a wealthy and most eminent chief,

A householder adorned with many precious gems,

A prince, or a minister.

Once he becomes a king, he will be powerful and invincible.

“Abandoning birth into despicable, inferior families,

He will be born into the best, most eminent, and prosperous families.

He will always be conscientious and never feel disheartened.

He will abandon all desires as if they were a pit of vomit.

“He will obtain an extraordinary appearance with the marks.

Born into the most eminent families or as a powerful lord,

His servants and attendants will never part from him;

He will be followed by many beings.

“He will never give rise to malice toward others,

His mind will be excellent, he will always be conscientious, and

He will never be harmed by fire, poison, or weapons;

Instead, he will be attended to by great assemblies of beings.

“He will joyfully practice the Sage’s Dharma.

Alert, he will develop happiness.

His mind will be free from grasping and attachment,

And, free from desire, he will experience no conflict.

“His body will be clean and devoid of defilement.

His mind will be pure, and he will speak truthfully.

He will comfort those who are overwhelmed by fear,

And be a refuge and a friend for sentient beings.

“Vastly accomplishing his own welfare,

He will also establish others in perfect awakened wisdom.

In the presence of the sacred, supreme bodhi tree,

He will awaken to the unequaled, supreme peace.

“When someone offers a single lamp to the stūpa of a buddha,

The splendor created thereby cannot be depleted,

Since it equals filling this entire buddhafield

To the summit of existence with gold from the Jambū river.

“When someone offers a lamp to the stūpa of a blessed one,

He will never be born with an ugly appearance.

His body will be supremely strong, and his arms will be like pillars.

Having attained illumination, he will move about in all the worlds.

“When the sublime victorious ones have appeared,

He will approach these thus-gone ones.

He will become their relative or son,

And will swiftly attain a mass of wisdom.

“One may count, assess, and declare the number of mustard seeds

Required to fill ten trillion buddhafields completely,

But not the merit created by offering

A single butter lamp to a well-gone one.

“The sublime, peerless buddha is worthy of offerings.

He is a preeminent being engaged in supreme conduct.

One who worships that supreme man

Will experience measureless, sublime results in return.

“Even if this entire Sahā world

Were filled to the brim with precious beryl gems, this merit could be
depleted.

But the splendor created by offering a single lamp

To the stūpa of a buddha will never be depleted.

“Even if this entire Sahā world were filled with coins

Up to the summit of existence, this merit could be depleted.

But the splendor created by offering a single lamp

To the stūpa of a buddha will never be depleted.

“Even if a thousand buddhafields were filled with sandalwood

Up to the summit of existence, this merit could be depleted.

But the splendor created by offering a single lamp

To the stūpa of a buddha will never be depleted.

“Even if a thousand buddhafields were filled

With divine fabric from the Brahmā world, this merit could be
depleted.

But the splendor created by offering a single lamp

To the stūpa of a buddha will never be depleted.

“Even the merit created by offering many divine substances and precious
gems

Of nāgas, asuras, humans, mahoragas, and gods may be depleted.

But the splendor created by offering a single lamp

To the stūpa of a buddha will never be depleted.

“Even if this entire Sahā world were filled with the divine
fragrances

Present in the worlds of the gods, this merit could be depleted.

But the splendor created by offering a single lamp

To the stūpa of a buddha will never be depleted.

“One could know the extent of all the directions,

And one could even know the extent of space itself.

But the splendor created by offering a single lamp

To the stūpa of a buddha can never be depleted.

“When the sublime buddhas, the supreme human beings, appeared,

I was devoted to those peerless leaders

And offered parasols made of malikā flowers to the blessed ones,

To protect these teachers’ bodies from sunrays.

“By serving the sublime beings with such beautiful acts,

I was reborn a hundred thousand times as Śakra, lord of the gods,

And as Lord Brahmā, ruling over all the worlds.

Then, by making hundreds of thousands of offerings to the victors’
stūpas,

“I became a powerful king, a universal monarch

Ruling over ten thousand worlds.

I became a wealthy merchant possessing a great fortune,

And an intelligent and meritorious householder.

“I pleased two hundred million well-gone ones, supreme among humans.

I honored these supreme human beings

By offering them bedding and garments,

And anointing them with perfumes in their monasteries.

“Thus, my complexion will never become ugly,

And I will dispel heat, cold, and hardship.

In the presence of the buddhas, I always adopted a superior attitude,

And worshiped them with supreme and sacred offerings.

“Whoever offers beautiful and elegant parasols decorated with
ornaments

To the stūpa of a blessed one

Will be endowed with an unequalled body,

And will wear the armor of the thirty-two marks.

“That person will attain the radiant body of the victors,

And have a preeminent appearance and mind.

Beautiful and lovely to behold, like the gold of the Jambū river,

He will be replete with the blooming flowers of the thirty-two marks.

“He will possess the superknowledges, be renowned for his power,

And practice supreme awakened conduct—sublime and peaceful.

His possessions will never decrease,

And he will be honored and worshiped by the gods.

“This steadfast one will have no trouble abandoning desired
possessions.

Pure in discipline, he will be highly learned and practice pure
conduct.

With a strong commitment, he will wander in forests and jungles,

And develop the superknowledges and other extraordinary qualities.

“Whoever offers parasols to the stūpas of the blessed ones

Will never give up the mind set on awakening.

He will be loving and free from inferior attitudes,

And his insight will never decline.

“Whoever worships the supreme among humans with music

Will be free from misery and will become a powerful king.

In the human world, his voice will be charming,

And the sound of it will be full and clear in all aspects.

“Whoever offers music to the stūpa of a blessed one

Will be alert and endowed with flawless eyes and ears.

He will be joyful,

And his faculty of smell will be supreme.

“His tongue will be beautiful and pleasing to behold.

Foremost, it will be supple, pretty, and melodious.

Like the precious coral of the gods,

It will call out in countless millions of sounds.

“Whoever offers music to the stūpa of a blessed one

Will never be born as a snake, without a tongue,

Blind, crippled, or crooked.

Instead, he will be preeminent in body and extremely handsome.

“Whoever offers music to the stūpa of a blessed one

Will never be disrespected

By any gods, nāgas, humans or mahoragas.

Having found relief, he will move about in the worlds.

“Whoever offers music to the stūpa of a blessed one

Will never become a person labeled a paṇḍaka,

Or be struck with leprosy or any other skin disease.

Instead, he will obtain a body worthy of praise.

“Whoever offers music to the stūpa of a blessed one

Will obtain a long tongue and a large body.

He will be endowed with a radiant complexion, like a golden statue.

His absorption will be stable, and he will become highly realized.

“Whoever offers music to the stūpa of a blessed one

Will become the leader of the gods, and Īśvara.

If he is born into the human world, he will be joyful,

Diligent, and brilliantly conscientious.

“Whoever offers music to the stūpa of a blessed one

Will not be distressed by anyone

Or spoken to harshly by anyone.

He will abandon all divisive speech and speak honestly.

“Whoever, desiring merit, picks up a broom

And respectfully sweeps the stūpa of a blessed one

Will not be born with an inferior or filthy body.

Instead, the fragrant scent of sandalwood will waft from his pores.

“Whoever sweeps the stūpa of a blessed one who has passed into
nirvāṇa

Will, for billions and trillions of eons,

Obtain preeminent bodies with perfect limbs.

He will be handsome and wear the armor of the marks.

“Whoever sweeps the stūpa of a blessed one who has passed into
nirvāṇa

Will obtain supreme, delightful, and fragrant palaces

Made of the most exquisite and extraordinary divine sandalwood,

Without ever feeling desire for them.

“Whoever sweeps the stūpa of a blessed one who has passed into
nirvāṇa

Will enjoy the company of ten billion celestial maidens,

Sweet-scented and supremely attractive,

Without ever becoming attached to them.

“Whoever sweeps the stūpa of a blessed one who has passed into
nirvāṇa

Will obtain the finest gardens full of ponds,

Filled with pristinely pure water of the eight qualities

And blue lotus flowers in full bloom.

“Whoever sweeps the stūpa of a blessed one who has passed into
nirvāṇa

Will always be in harmony with his servants and attendants.

With a superior attitude, he will hear the voices of the gods

And the sweet melodies of the goddesses’ songs.

“Whoever sweeps the stūpa of a blessed one who has passed into
nirvāṇa

Will, upon taking birth in all his existences,

Know that after he dies, he will not be reborn into the lower realms,

But will instead meet a buddha in the human world.

“Whoever sweeps the stūpa of a blessed one who has passed into
nirvāṇa

Will deliver pleasant discourses to the gods,

To establish them in perfect awakened wisdom,

And then pass away to be reborn in Jambudvīpa.

“Whoever sweeps the stūpa of a blessed one who has passed into
nirvāṇa

Will, as soon as he is born, recall countless past eons.

He will honor the buddhas of the past—the leaders—

And recall their marks, qualities, and teachings.

“I shall now explain the benefits

Of removing weeds from a stūpa,

With a wish to be like the buddhas in the world;

So listen sincerely, with a mind free from the stains of afflictions!

“Such a person will, in the future, meet

The sublime victors—those powerful, sublime, and preeminent beings.

He will worship them with the most sublime offerings,

And will always develop sublime faith.

“Upon meeting the captains, the buddhas with the ten powers,

He will worship those peerless leaders.

With joy in their hearts, they will prophesy,

‘You will become a buddha who puts on the armor of the marks!’

“Whoever has seen me teaching the Dharma

In the delightful city of Vaiśālī, the supreme abode,

Will, in the future, during the time of decline,

Uphold the Dharma of the supreme victors who have passed into
nirvāṇa.

“Removing weeds from a stūpa

Is both the cause and the seed

Of wishing to meet the unassailable sublime victors.

One will abandon desire, the hells, and the animal realms.

“When a bodhisattva upholds this supreme sūtra

In the future, during the time of decline,

He will become a preeminent and matchless field of merit,

A buddha in the world, a god of gods.

“Those who worship this teaching when I have taught it,

Those who hear this precept that I have taught,

Those who memorize this supreme sūtra,

They will uphold it in the future.

“Those who henceforth uphold this supreme sūtra

Will always be my harmonious children.

Even if they were praised by ten million buddhas,

Their praises would never come to an end.

“Even if for ten million eons,

Countless billions and trillions of buddhas were to praise

Those who in the future will uphold the victors’ Dharma,

Their praises could never come to an end.

“Whoever anoints the stūpa of a buddha in the prescribed way,

With sweet and pleasant perfumes

Will reach the attainments and move about in all the worlds.

He will extract what is essential on this earth.

“Whoever offers scented ointments to the stūpa of a victorious one

Will not be reborn in Jambudvīpa

At a time when the blessed ones’ teachings are in decline,

But instead will become a ruler in the higher realms.

“Whoever offers scented ointments to the stūpa of a victorious one

Will forever abandon the smelly, the unclean, and the inferior.

Instead, he will observe discipline,

And always engage in the supreme pure conduct.

“Whoever offers scented ointments to the stūpa of a victorious one

Will, after he dies, become the lord of gods in the higher realms.

Before long, he will conceive myriad aims,

And he will accomplish the benefit of the gods on a vast scale.

“Whoever offers scented ointments to the stūpa of a victorious one

Will always live in Jambudvīpa

At times when beings in the human world

Are free from anger and their minds are gentle and pliable.

“Whoever offers scented ointments to the stūpa of a victorious one

Will be preeminently eloquent and have a delightful voice.

He will be pleased and honored by many beings,

And his face will always be luminous.

“Whoever offers scented ointments to the stūpa of a victorious one

Will leave all the lower realms behind,

And will be born close to the thus-gone ones.

He will develop faith and will always be happy and joyful.

“Whoever offers scented ointments to the stūpa of a victorious one

Will become a powerful king, a universal monarch, and

A meritorious minister, merchant, or householder,

As well as a radiant Dharma lord—a buddha.

“Whoever joyfully and enthusiastically

Offers a jeweled lattice to the stūpa of a blessed one

Will become a king adorned with the armor of the marks,

A powerful, exalted universal monarch.

“Highly regarded and adorned with the armor of the marks,

He will enjoy vast, exquisite, and delightful palaces

In an endless variety of colors,

And impressive mansions made of precious gems.

“He will obtain preeminent royal palaces

Filled with men and women,

Proportionate, elegant, exquisite, delightful,

And ornamented with variegated lattices, pleasant, and comfortable.

“He will also obtain preeminent royal attributes,

Such as brilliantly majestic victory banners and flags,

Splendid and delightful canopies,

As well as necklaces of pearl.

“No robbers, thieves, deceivers, or wicked people

Will live in his lands.

The people residing in his lands will be open minded,

Intelligent, altruistic, and affectionate.

“After he dies and transfers, this conscientious one will go to the
gods.

While residing in the higher realms, this intelligent person will
ponder,

‘What conduct should I observe, in terms of good and bad actions,

To be reborn as a human after I die and transfer?’

“He will swiftly meet the buddhas, who are worthy of offerings,

And will worship and honor them in ways that cannot be matched.

Upon meeting the buddhas, he will give rise to the aspiration for
awakening,

And honor those stainless beings again and again.

“He will be endowed with infinite wisdom and great power,

And be born as a noble being living in distinguished places.

Developing a faithful attitude toward the blessed ones,

He will experience such excellent circumstances again and again.

“I will now speak about my deeds;

So do not doubt what I say!

Rejecting the Buddha’s words, you will go to the Hell of Ceaseless
Torment,

And experience suffering and affliction thenceforth.

“Whoever removes cobwebs from the stūpas

Of those who light up the world—the peerless fields of merit—

Will become conscientious and rend Māra’s net.

Such a person will forever abandon birth into the lower realms.

“He will always honor the stainless buddhas

And become a powerful universal monarch.

Born in the human world, he will be meritorious,

And will become an object of worship for all the kings.

“He will be an object of worship for the lord of the gods,

And will swiftly attain the life of the gods.

He will obtain splendid celestial palaces made of gold,

And become a lord of incomparable divine pleasures.

“He will reach the divine worlds that are endowed

With the most excellent sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures.

He will be powerful and highly regarded,

But will never give rise to lust toward the goddesses.

“Whoever removes cobwebs from the stūpa of a blessed one

Will, after he dies and transfers, proceed to the human world,

Where he will be reborn in distinguished places with firm limbs.

He will always study numerous treatises.

“Whoever removes cobwebs from the stūpa of a blessed one

Will abandon all eight of the unfree states.

Free from them, he will then enjoy preeminence,

And worship the peerless buddhas.

“Whoever removes cobwebs from the stūpa of a blessed one

Will become a hero—conscientious and intelligent.

He will not enjoy sense pleasures,

And, with a superior intention, he will leave home.

“Whoever removes cobwebs from the stūpa of a blessed one

Will never give up the mind set on awakening.

Firmly restrained by flawless discipline,

He will receive the pure Dharma, which is free from desire.

“Whoever removes cobwebs from the stūpa of a blessed one

Will abandon births with ugly bodies,

Or with any type of distorted insight.

Instead, his insight will be vast, and he will observe proper
conduct.

“Whoever removes cobwebs from the stūpa of a blessed one

Will receive clean and pure food,

As well as the most splendid, extraordinarily colorful fabrics,

Beautiful to behold and pleasant to touch.

“Whoever, out of faith, sweeps the withered flowers

That sully the stūpa of a blessed one

Will abandon all wicked desires that cause suffering,

And thus please the captains endowed with the ten powers.

“Whoever sweeps the old flowers from a stūpa

Will be born with a beautiful and perfect body.

He will be worthy of the worship and regard of many beings,

And kings will not give rise to malice toward him.

“Whoever sweeps from the stūpa of a blessed one

The withered flowers that people have previously offered

Will cut off all the paths to the lower realms,

And become a bodhisattva who observes discipline.

“Whoever sweeps the old flowers from a stūpa

Will become conscientious and leave behind all misery and faults,

And all the many forms of sickness.

He will find relief for countless eons.

“Whoever sweeps the old flowers from a stūpa

Will become a buddha, a peerless object of offerings.

On that unequalled level, he will be worthy of the worship of gods and
humans,

And will obtain a perfect body adorned with ornaments.

“Those who offer beautiful, divine mandārava flowers,

Or incomparable trumpet-flowers,

As well as those who sweep the flowers that sully a stūpa,

Will experience the same supreme results when their actions ripen.

“Whoever sweeps old flowers from a stūpa

Will not be harmed by poison, weapons,

Or by great masses of blazing fire,

Nor will thieves steal his accumulated wealth.

“When someone, out of joy and delight, sweeps withered flowers

From the stūpa of a blessed one,

It is not easy to quantify the amount of merit created thereby,

Nor is it easy to describe even a portion of it.

“Whoever sweeps old flowers from a stūpa

Will wear the armor of the thirty-two marks.

Always joyful in the human world,

He will be powerful and possess a pleasant voice.

“Whoever sweeps old flowers from a stūpa

Will genuinely practice the supreme, sublime Dharma,

And his body will be perfect and large.

Before long, he will become a buddha in the world.

“Whoever joins his palms together and prostrates to the stūpa of a
teacher,

With the aspiration to become a buddha in the world,

Will be respected and honored in the worlds,

And he will be beautiful and pleasing to behold.

“Through these actions he will obtain a kingdom, and the entire
world—

Gods, nāgas, humans, and mahoragas—will bow down to him.

He will gain control over his kingdom,

As a lord extending his rule over an entire chiliocosm.

“All the people living in his lands

Will be established in perfect awakened wisdom.

He will leave the lower realms behind

And accomplish the supreme, sublime benefit of those beings.

“He will be meritorious, intelligent, mindful, and worthy of worship.

Having found relief, he will move about in all the worlds.

His servants and attendants will have pleasant voices,

And he will please them in accordance with their wishes.

“To others he will teach words of carefulness and peace,

And nobody will overpower him.

He will be highly regarded by many beings,

And even his servants will speak in voices pleasant in all aspects.

“Whoever joins his palms together and prostrates to the stūpa of a
buddha

Will be generous, speak pleasantly, act meaningfully,

And accomplish the benefit of many beings.

Even if he is abused or criticized, he will never become angry.

“Whoever joins his palms together and prostrates to the stūpa of a
buddha

Will come to reside in the higher realms as the lord of the gods.

Even if he is born among humans, he will become their king.

His status will never decline.

“Whoever joins his palms together and prostrates to the stūpa of a
buddha

Will never again fall into the lower realms.

He will always abandon desire in this world,

And will be rich, prosperous, and affluent.

“Whoever speaks a single word to someone with excellent qualities

Will never employ improper magical spells

Or behave inappropriately in the human world.

Such a person will please those who are discontent.

“Whoever stands at his front door, enthusiastically strewing flowers

On a protector of the world as he passes through the city,

Which resounds with pleasing music,

Will adorn and behold that sublime victor.

“In his own home, he will venerate the one with the ten powers.

He will offer food and hear the excellent Dharma.

Faith arising in him, he will venerate the supreme human

By offering fabrics to that great guide with this aspiration:

“ ‘Having attained the unequalled and supreme awakening of buddhahood,

May I be endowed with the ten powers and become unshakable.

May I liberate beings from suffering into the awakening of
buddhahood,

And become a peerless buddha in all the worlds!’

“Knowing that he takes joy in awakened wisdom,

Expressed through this kind of aspiration,

The one endowed with the ten powers will smile and prophesy,

‘You will become a buddha unequalled in all the worlds.’

“After hearing this prophecy from the supreme, sublime being,

These words of the supreme well-gone one are irrevocable.

Free from doubt, this person thinks, ‘I shall be a supreme victor!’

Overjoyed and happy, he will then ascend into space.

“Knowing that this person will become a god of gods in the world,

A buddha who is a preeminent and unequalled object of offerings,

And knowing this person’s thoughts and the reason for his joy,

The one endowed with the ten powers will accept the offerings.

“Seeing that the supreme well-gone one has accepted the fabrics,

He will be overjoyed and delighted.

Then, looking at the peerless protector of the world,

He will develop the aspiration to become a buddha in the world and
say:

“ ‘I will liberate beings from the cycle of birth and death,

And free many beings from their conditioned states.

In all the worlds I will give sight to the blind.

Having gained illumination, their darkness and obscurity will be
gone.’

“Therefore, having now heard these sublime benefits,

You should worship the protectors with flower garlands, victory
banners,

Fine garments, music, parasols, ointments, and incense,

And awaken to the state of buddhahood!”

When the Blessed One had spoken those words, the monks and the
bodhisattvas such as Pure Intellect, as well as the world with all its gods,
humans, asuras, and gandharvas, rejoiced and praised what the Blessed One
had said.

This concludes the noble Great Vehicle sūtra:
Avalokinī.

Colophon

This was translated, edited, and finalized, having been revised
according to the new terminological register, by the Indian preceptors
Jinamitra and Dānaśīla, and the chief editor-translator Bandé Yeshé Dé.

Notes

Bibliography

Primary sources

Buddhist Sanskrit sources

Secondary literature

new terminological register

skad gsar chad
སྐད་གསར་ཆད།

Pure Intellect

blo gros rnam par dag pa
བློ་གྲོས་རྣམ་པར་དག་པ།